It's the last day in May, and things sure have been moving at a quick pace. :)

Today I finished and submitted my contribution chapter for a book being published later this year. I will release more details as I am allowed, but it is a follow up to book released last year. I am super excited and honored to be part of this project, and can not wait to be able to discuss it further!

When originally contacted about it, I thought it would be a fairly easy task to write a 20 pages or so. Piece of cake. However, it turned out, to be MUCH more difficult than I thought. I learned a lot about how hard it must be for writers to really sit and be inspired to tell a story - even one they might know quite well.

Again, I am humbled and honored to be involved with this project, and I just cannot wait to see it in its competed form.

When I got home tonight I found a page of parts I ordered from RAM Mounts on my doorstep. I had been waiting for these in order to attached the GPS to my bike in a way that has it out of the way and easy to quickly glean information off of it.

Looking through their online catalog, and taking some measurements her at home, I made a guess.

Turns out to worked perfectly. I needed to make a little modification to make the mounting strap snug up on the aero bar, but my Delorme PN-60 fits right between the aero bars without touching me at all when I am in that position.

Better to be lucky then good right? :)




This shot makes the device look bigger than it is, but it was like it was made for this position. I will carry the paper maps as backup, and just be able use the GPX files for TD loaded into the device. Should save a good amount of time from fiddling with the maps.

I am still working through some of the usage issues since the upgrade to the new firmware. Nothing is malfunctioning, I am just not familiar enough with the features yet.

Back to the manual.....

Going to try and get the Superfly to Trek Raleigh tomorrow so they can determine what the blazes is all the racket from the rear wheel. Probably going to need new bearings for the bottom bracket, but maybe that can wait just a little bit longer.

Hopefully.

Keep Choppin'!



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Training Hours: Ride: 04:08 Run: 00:00 Other: 00:00

Insulin Delivery Summary:
Daily Total: 31.65 units
Bolus (37%) 11.60u
Basal: (63%) 20.05u

I woke up with two thoughts today....

The first was that I was low and needed some carbs.  The other was how was that was going to affect my ride I was planning on today.

I decided that the best course of action was to use one of my Kryptonite foods - cold cereal.  For me, it's kinda like pizza or ice cream. A bowl of raisin bran with some Soy Milk does it everytime.  Regardless of how many carbs I bolus for.  A few hours after eating it and a spike comes booming through.

Perfect.

I was up to a 61 at 08:56 when I set a temp basal of a 65% reduction.  Figured to be out the door by 10:00 or so.

I was rolling with the Superfly by 10:20.  Not to bad for a holiday.  :)

By 11:31 I could feel my BG was a little high.  Stopping to test I was indeed a 224.  I did make a slight bolus (about half as much as indicated) and rolled on.

I was amazed at just how HOT it was today.  It was only supposed to be in the 80s, but while on the road in the sun it was baking.  Just baking.

Along my chosen route I passed the very famous Durham Bulls Park:

and found this war veterans monument being cared for on UNC Chapel Hill:

The ride was fun, but SO hot.  When I reached the woods, single track, and fire roads is was much much better.

About 40 miles in, I began to notice a constant noise coming from the drivetrain.  It continued to get worse as the miles ticked on. It was very loud with a short amount of time.  I couldn't tell if it was coming from the rear wheel, the frame, the bottom bracket, or all three.

I slowed down and nursed the bike back to the barn.  Seems to be a re-occurring theme this week. :(

I arrived back home at 15:27 with a BG of 98.  Perfect.  I performed a standard post ride bolus of 2.25u.

Spent the rest of the afternoon working on the chapter for the book, making a little lite dinner, and then getting ready for the commute into the gig tomorrow.

Was running low before bed, so I jammed in some carbs (juice actually) and set a post ride over night temp basal of 70%.

Looks like with both mtbs in need of repair, I will be making a trip to my good friends at Trek Raleigh during the week.  :)

Remembering all the men and women who serve and have served & their families and loved ones, some of whom gave and sacrificed all, so we could all live with greater security and peace.

Training Hours: Ride: 03:24 Run: 00:00 Other: 00:00

Insulin Delivery Summary:
Daily Total: 38.00 units
Bolus (37%) 13.95u
Basal: (63%) 24.05u

Weird day on the bike today.  Not a bad day, just a weird day.

I was planning on riding the Tour Divide prepared and loaded S'fly today, but then just had an urge to go and play.  No training, no HRM, no GPS, nothing.  Just wanted to go and rip around and listen to loud music on my iPod.

I set a temp basal of a 65% reduction at 9:36 in hopes to be out the door by 10:45.

Since I was leaving the Superfly at home, I headed out on the deck to grab the HiFi. I opened the door and walked out and was immediately surrounded by a cloud of wasps.  I was stung on the back about 5 or 6 times before I got back into the house and slammed the door.

OUCH!!

I snuck out the other door on the other side, and grabbed the bike from the other direction.  Seems that a couple of families of wasps moved in over night.  I just let this whole incident slide... and will get Orkin to work on it on Tuesday.

Since I got waylaid slightly by the wasps, and changed bikes (repair kit, water bottle, fast acting, etc) I didn't get out the door on the bike until nearly 11:25.

No worries.

It took about 15 minutes and I was thinking to myself.... dang.  My legs are tired today.  What is the problem?

The whole ride kinda went that way.  Just off.  Tired legs.  Bike felt slow. I was slow.  Etc....

Weather was amazing however, and I took a few minutes to ride through UNC Chapel Hill campus.  I say it all the time, but I love this place!!

Well, about 3 hours later I discovered the problem with the bike. I was descending a hill heading into town, and, without touching it, the rear wheel simply began locking up. Releasing. Then locking up. Seems the rear caliper was grabbing the rotor the entire time.

Well THAT made me feel MUCH better. About the everything.

I cancelled my temp basal rate, detached the rear brake, and limped the bike back home.

When I got there at 14:45 my BG was a 65.  I waited 30 minutes, and then administered the standard post ride bolus.  I figured 2 units should cover it.

 By 15:56 I was 137.  Perfect.

I spent the evening working on the GPS and getting the Tour Divide maps loaded into it.  To do so I needed to download and install a new DeLorme Topo application, and I fiddled with that for a while.  I haven't quite figured it out completely yet, but, hopefully, before next weekends Tour de Cure ride I will have it down.

Went to bed running a pretty normal post ride overnight temp basal rate of 85%.

This is what my "training" is going to look like today:

I am literally going to do... NADA, except work on my book chapter.

I just need a day.

Training Hours: Ride: 03:47 Run: 00:00 Other: 00:00

Insulin Delivery Summary:

Daily Insulin Totals: 44.05u
Bolus (47%) 20.85u
Basal (53%) 23.20u

After driving the kids to school in the morning, and checking in at work for a few hours, I raced home at lunch to grab the Superfly. Last night I loaded up the bag and the pack, and figured to get in a good 4 hours of riding in today.




I set my first 65% reduction temp basal of the day at 11:00am as I was in the office and preparing for my noon time return trip.

Once I got home I grabbed a quick lite bite just to have something in my stomach, and bolused at the normal pre-ride ration of 1:20 (instead of the normal 1:15).

The ride back to the gig was perfect, and the weather could not have been any better. When I got back to the office, my BG was a solid 88 at 13:14.




I have been using the GPS extensively lately, and it showed a decent pace of 13.78mph on the way back in. Fully loaded on the mtb, I was pretty pleased with this.

The post work training ride was pretty much the same. I set my 65% reduct temp basal a little late, only around 15:55, and it caught me out a few hours later during the ride with a BG of 57 at 18:21.

I did find a pleasant place to stop and correct that BG though.



After a slight delay (extended by the work emergency on-call pager going off) the rest of the ride home was perfect.

I arrived back at my place with a BG of 84, and it was 19:34.

Averaged just at the 13.5mph mark for the 47 miles or so I covered today. Travels included road, single track, fire road, and bike path with just shy of 3K of vertical in total.

Once I got changed I was, however, just overcome with exhaustion. It's been a fairly busy couple of weeks.

Good weeks... but busy.

I shut it all down and was in bed with a standard post ride overnight temp basal of 85% at 20:43. My BG was a 175, and although I follow the 150 rule during a situation like this, I just left it uncovered.

Thinking more about TD lately. My hip is coming along, and I am trying very hard to stay relaxed about the situation from last year. I am in someways WAY more prepared than last year, and yet, in others, not quite as prepared.

I need to focus simply on starting, just like all of us with diabetes do each and every morning, and enjoying the fact I am riding my bike.

Which I have done for MILLIONs of miles before.

Which I enjoy more than almost anything.

Which never gets old.

Keep Choppin' everyone.

JUST. KEEP. CHOPPIN'!




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Hanging on the deck, eating an apple, and taking in some beyond imagination perfect NC weather:





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It's been a busy day. Baseball, playground, the removal of a certain 4 year old's training wheels from his 16" bike, and dusting the Canadian dirt off of some old friends for a little "packing".

;)




I would call it a very good day so far. Just one geographic change would make it spectacularly perfect.

Now to go for some ice cream sandwiches with the kids. :)

Keep Choppin'!

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I was asked today about what pre-programmed temporary basal settings I had setup in my OmniPod PDM.

Figured a picture was worth a thousand words. :)




Thanks for emailing me and asking the question Chris.

Keep Choppin'!!!


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Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.

- Napoleon Hill

A great, albeit, moist ride in today.  Nothing better than riding the bike into work, and leaving the car at home.

Just wanted to share.....

(taken from my LifeProof bar mount for my iPhone)

(crossing into Downtown Durham from the north end of the ATT)

(Me with a few new T1 friends and their families, showing off our pumps)

I am finally getting a few minutes to sit and write about the amazing weekend I had, which included traveling to Albany, NY to give a presentation at Glendaal Elementary school to be fed via video to the school district at large.

The talk was initiated by Lisa DeFelippo, and then spearheaded by the nurse at the school Betsy Williams (who is a pump wearing Type 1 btw).

After a VERY early flight from home, I was picked up at Albany International around 10:30.  Lisa and I headed over to grab lunch, and take it to school so I would have the opportunity to "hang out" in the teacher's lounge and discuss diabetes related issues with the staff there.

The presentation began at 14:00, and was to be followed by a JDRF Walk out on the school grounds.  Ms.  Cheryl Trefzger from the JDRF was there as well to assist with the event.

On the way to the school, we dropped in to see the District Superintendent.  It was nice to get some time to introduce myself to her, and to discuss diabetes school topics with her.  I appreciated this opportunity, and tried to convey the need for diabetes awareness to be spread throughout the district among teachers, staff, and students alike.

While in the teacher's lounge, a number of staff members did come by to say hi.  Lots of good questions about diabetes where asked, and good, very frank, discussions ensued.  Sometimes it is hard to hard hear facts about diabetes, but rumors and mis-information need to be dispelled.   I basically tried to impress on the staff, specifically those with Type 1 students, the need for them to understand the dangers and traits of diabetes.

It's not OCD.   It's not ADHD.  It's not Celiac.  It's not defined by the NJCLD.

It's diabetes, and, if handled incorrectly, can cause VERY serious medical emergencies.

Just before the assembly was to begin, I was honored to have the chance to meet, and speak with, a high school athlete who also has Type 1.  He and his mom came by so we could talk.  I was very impressed with this person.  He plays football, lacrosse, and competes in fencing while maintaining near perfect grades, all while dealing with diabetes.  It was a pleasure to here him tell how he wears his pump during events, that he too was diagnosed at age 8, and how he mentors (whenever he can) the other Type 1s who attend his little brother's elementary school.

Much different than I was back in day.... we won't say how many years. (Ok, so about 29 years ago. Oy.) LOL!

The 300 or so students where assembled at 14:00, and the video feed was established.

I had such a good time talking to the group (and those assembled remotely) about diabetes, challenges, working hard, and staying focused and positive.  I told them about my adventure on Tour Divide last year, about my insulin pump, and what diabetes was and how people got it.

To repeat: You cannot catch it from someone.  :)

These kids where SMART, and asked some very amazing and thoughtful questions.  "How did you feel after not being able to finish your race?". "Is insulin cold?". "How do you fill your pump?". "Just how big was the bear?".  LOL!!

Great stuff!!

The walk was a success, and the weather held out perfectly.  I got to answer a few hundred more questions while out walking, and enjoyed the whole event!

After the end of the walk the Nichter's, a family of 5 with 1 Type 1 in the family came over to Glendaal from a school the received the video feed.  We where able to talk about the all to well known struggles being the parent of a CWD, new treatments, how technology has changed since my diagnosis, and just plain old living with Diabetes.

They are a super nice family, and it was my great pleasure to have the chance to see them.

Mr. Nichter rides bike (he has a Trek BTW, natch) and has a TdC Team for the Syracuse TdC coming up on June 3rd.  As a part of the fund raising process they organized a Flash Mob that occurred last week.  If you would like to help the Nichter's on their TdC, check out their team page.

I always have a wonderful time at events such as this, and I always walk away learning a ton from the folks in the local diabetes community.  It is such an amazing honor to be allowed to sit down with these kind families and listen to their stories about diabetes.

They are all stories of success and inspiration.

Friday's event was no different.

Thank you all very much!!!

To those of use with diabetes, it's like a holiday spectacular.  Should come wrapped in colorful paper with bows on it.

Weird how getting the delivery of boxes of insulin instantly lowers my level of anxiety, and makes me gitty.

Actually, not all that weird.

Life sustaining medication.

I am extremely thankful to have it.

I always forget just how green upstate NY is:






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Training Hours: Ride: 03:05 Run: 00:00 Other: 00:00

Insulin Delivery Summary:
Daily Total: 25.10 units
Bolus (42%) 10.45u
Basal: (58%) 14.65u

I was up early this morning, so I was able to take the long route into work.  Nothing finer than riding in with a very slight dry chill in the air.  Shadows long from the sun being so low behind you.

My favorite time of day to ride.  Just after dawn.

I mean, when I can get my hands on an espresso. Or Monster Java.  Either or.  :)

I had a great ride in, and, at lunch, I hustled back home to grab my car as I am picking my little guys up from school today.

Nice to be able to get a touch over 3hrs in before lunch.  :)

Tomorrow is an EARLY day (at the airport at 04:30 or something nutty like that) as I am heading to NY state to  speak to some children in the Albany School District about facing challenges and diabetes related topics.

I was kindly invited to come participate by my friend Kevin.  He is a young person with Type 1 who attends school in the district.  One great kid with a terrific and very involved family.

Diane and I had the honor of meeting his parents, Lisa and Keith, along with his siblings a while back.  (Keith: I am looking forward to hearing about your bicycle frame welding!!)  :)

I am very much looking forward to this event, and am honored to be invited to come up and talk.

Thank you!!

Following the structured program, we will have a small "Meet & Greet" with some of the CWD & Parents, as part of the District's “Kids Helping Kids” Program.

Following my program there, I will join those participating in the local JDRF Walk. PLEASE visit the link attached and show your support!

I hope to be able to share some pics (and possibly a TwitCast) from the event as it happens.  So look for those updates here tomorrow.

I also received some VERY outstanding news today, but that is just a little ways off from being made public.

Thank you for all of your continued support and encouragement, and KEEP CHOPPIN'!!!

I would like to send a HUGE, IMMENSE thank you to Mr. Charlie Kimball and his manager Kim.

I do not think I can adequately describe how SHOCKED and HONORED I was to find this in my mail box:

My mouth fell WIDE open.  I was just speechless.  Just speechless.

Both myself and my two small sons where totally freaking out!!!

Mr. Kimball is an outstanding person, a great role model, and, as I like to reference him as, the "fastest Type 1 on earth".  To think he would send such an amazingly cool item to someone who just rides bikes is amazing.

Please accept my humble gratitude for this helmet visor.  Just totally wicked!

Although I do not have ANYTHING NEAR as cool as this, please look for a package from Type1Rider heading in your direction. (BTW - no pressure putting the enclosed  #BGNow bumper sticker on the race car.  LOL!)

Best of luck at Indy!!!

Thank you so very much for this.  Really.  Thank you so much.

My very good friend Rob followed his dream and opened his very own bicycle repair shop.  I have know Rob for about a decade or more now, and a nicer guy you will not meet.  He is truly a friend to cyclists everywhere, an avid trail builder, and always willing to go the extra mile to help.

If you have a minute, check out Rob's new shop True Blue Wrench Works which is located at:

106 Lloyd Street

Carrboro, NC

rob@truebluewrenchworks.com

Good luck with the new venture Rob!!

After a day and a half of rain showers, the weather broke and we were blessed with a spectacular afternoon of weather today here in North Carolina. The flowers and landscaping at my complex appreciated the sun almost as much as I did:




It was a busy day otherwise today as well.

Made pancakes (with chocolate hidden in a few of them), responded to a long over due list of emails, and got some much needed work done.

Also, was stoked to spend some time with my friends at Taproot Films shooting some more footage for the documentary. I cannot thank every member of their crew enough for working so hard and making so many sacrifices for this project:




Thank you for your pursurverence (btw, this pic was taken as I messed up for the 1,103rd time). :)

I am looking forward to logging a whole bunch of training hours on the bike this week, and hope that it goes fast leading to an event filled Friday with the JDRF and a special school visit in Albany (more on that later this week).

Thanks a lot to everyone for the great emails, messages, and questions. Please keep them coming. The interactions are such a learning experience for me, and I love to hear all the great things everyone is doing and planning while dealing with the "Betus". :)

Keep Choppin'!!!


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Last week I received an email from the International Diabetes Federation stating that I had been nominated by members of the diabetes online community as an IDF World Diabetes Day Hero.

I was completely overwhelmed and humbled with the news of the nomination.

Rendered speechless.

I truly cannot express how kind and generous the nomination is, and I can't possibly begin thank the members of the Diabetes Online Community enough for all the support and encouragement they show me and The Type1Rider Organization.

You are ALL an inspiration.

This morning I woke to find my story listed at http://www.idf.org/worlddiabetesday/heroes/hero-of-the-week.  I lay there bewildered for a couple of minutes starring at the page as I let the magnitude of this accolade to sink in.

I simply do not know the words to say to convey the gratitude I feel.  I am fortunate and blessed beyond measure.

From the bottom of my heart... Thank you members of the DOC and the IDF for this honor.

Keep Choppin'!